Tsuba - Signed Tsuba with Rays of Amida Buddha

A powerful signed iron tsuba featuring a bold, highly stylized composition associated with the radiating rays of Amida Buddha. The circular plate is dominated by broad, sweeping openwork forms that create a strong sense of expansion and movement from the central area toward the rim. The restrained iron surface is finely finished with visible radial file marks, giving the plate a distinctive and austere character.

The signature is present on the central nakago-ana area, although the characters are worn and difficult to read from the photographs alone. Particularly notable are the remaining traces of gold around the mimi, suggesting that the rim was originally enhanced with gold decoration or gilding. The surviving gold residues provide an attractive contrast with the dark iron patina and are an important feature of the tsuba.

The combination of the monumental circular form, openwork, and radiating motif gives the piece a strongly Buddhist character, while the relatively restrained execution emphasizes the ironwork itself.

Dimension:

81,8 mm x 82,3 mm x 4,3 mm (Seppa) - 3,6 mm (Mimi), 130,1 g